Table 2.

E-cigarette health harms: discouragement and awareness (N = 1,872)

	Discouragement		Awareness
	M	SD	%
Respiratory harms2	3.82	1.20	34
Lung disease	4.00	1.21	34
Asthma problems	3.81	1.29	33
Wheezing	3.75	1.27	30
Coughing	3.70	1.29	38
Chemicals set 22	3.76	1.19	21
Exposure to diacetyl, which can cause lung disease	3.87	1.26	16
Exposure to diacetyl, which can cause permanent breathing problems	3.84	1.27	14
Exposure to formaldehyde	3.80	1.25	25
Exposure to harmful chemicals	3.78	1.27	45
Exposure to acrolein	3.67	1.32	6
Exposure to chemicals that cause reproductive harm	3.60	1.38	18
Chemicals set 11	3.59	1.21	28
Exposure to chemicals that cause cancer	3.70	1.29	33
Exposure to heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead which can be inhaled deep into the lungs	3.64	1.32	15
Exposure to toxic substances	3.62	1.29	36
Exposure to metals	3.61	1.32	15
Exposure to flavorings that are linked to lung disease	3.57	1.31	25
Exposure to some of the same chemicals in cigarette smoke	3.43	1.33	41
Cardiovascular harms1	3.55	1.26	26
Heart disease	3.66	1.30	25
Harm to blood vessels	3.55	1.32	20
Increased blood pressure	3.51	1.32	29
Increased heart rate	3.49	1.31	31
E-liquid toxicity3	3.47	1.38	16
Swallowing e-liquids can be poisonous to the body	3.51	1.46	33
E-liquid skin contact can be poisonous to the body	3.51	1.44	16
E-liquid skin contact can cause seizures	3.48	1.45	8
E-liquid skin contact can cause kidney problems	3.47	1.44	9
E-liquid skin contact can cause vomiting	3.36	1.46	12
Device explosions3	3.43	1.38	44
E-cigarette explosions that cause burns	3.46	1.40	52
E-cigarette explosions	3.45	1.41	49
E-cigarette explosions that cause injuries	3.45	1.40	49
E-cigarette fires that cause injuries	3.43	1.43	33
E-cigarette fires	3.41	1.43	37
Other health effects4	3.27	1.33	22
Swallowing e-liquids can be fatal	3.40	1.48	30
E-liquid skin contact can reduce oxygen to your brain, causing brain injury	3.33	1.42	15
DNA damage	3.26	1.47	10
Harm to adolescent and young adult brain development	3.23	1.50	30
Toxic to developing fetus	3.11	1.57	23
Addiction4	2.81	1.30	29
Addiction to e-cigarettes	2.98	1.40	45
Addiction to nicotine	2.94	1.42	51
Increased chance of using other tobacco products	2.75	1.49	21
Increased chance of smoking cigarettes	2.71	1.47	22
Increased chance of getting addicted to drugs	2.67	1.56	7

E-cigarette harms are ordered from most to least discouraging in each harm category. M = mean, SD = standard deviation. Harm category means for awareness and discouragement were calculated from only their respective harm items. Superscripts refer to survey panel number (panel 1: n = 478; panel 2: n = 451; panel 3: n = 470; panel 4: n = 473).